Sunday, May 10, 2015

Israel advanced water technology


Since its foundation in 1948, Israel has placed great emphasis on maximizing its water supply, famously turning much of its arid land into fertile agricultural soil. Indeed, David Ben Gurion, Israel’s founding father, declared the goal of “making the desert bloom” as one of the central themes of the new nation, believing it could be one of its main contributions to the world.

Thus, water technologies have been a national priority in Israel since day one. This emphasis has proven itself in one of the world’s most efficient and innovative water systems.

Since its founding, Israel has been coping with water scarcity and has been treating the subject as a national priority. As more and more countries around the world begin to confront the real issues of global warming and water scarcity, many are turning to Israel, which has developed novel solutions. Israel's success in answering the country's water needs stems from its ability to incorporate an extensive variety of solutions under multiple constraints.

The Israeli water industry is today recognized as a global leader in the water arena thanks to breakthrough technological innovations in areas such as desalination, drip irrigation and water security.

Achievements - Fast Facts
  • Israel, with an 80% water recycling rate, is the world's leading country in water recycling. The second largest water recycler in recent years has been Spain, with a rate of 18%.
  • Israeli-invented drip irrigation helped achieve 70%-80% of water efficiency in agriculture, the highest rate in the world.
  • Israel’s total water consumption has remained nearly the same since 1964, in spite of a growing population and agriculture. This feat has been enabled through improved efficiency and technological innovation.
  • Israel has achieved the highest ratio in the world of crop yield per water unit.
  • Israel is home to the world's largest seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plants, annually producing 140-150 million m3 at the low cost of approximately $0.52 per m3 of water, the most cost-efficient of its kind in the world.
  • Over 35% of Israel's drinking-quality water now comes from desalination.  Meanwhile, desalinated water accounts for around 80% of total domestic water use in Israeli cities.




A culture of technology & ingenuity
Water is not Israel’s only scarce resource. Since its inception, Israel has faced a variety of difficulties emanating from scarce natural resources, and numerous political and geographical challenges.
To overcome these hurdles Israel has always relied on its most valuable asset – the human resource. In spite of its challenges, Israel has achieved considerable success. These amazing accomplishments have come about due to the emphasis placed on education, academia and technology by the Israeli government and society. Moreover, Israelis are widely and deservedly perceived as being driven by a creative entrepreneurial spirit. This spirit and the incredible human resource it drives have enabled Israel to develop considerable expertise in the various fields of water conservation.

Areas of Expertise
  • Water resources management: first to adopt a comprehensive approach on a national scale; today it is one of the main sources of water agriculture in the country.
  • Irrigation solutions: highest ratio of crop per water unit (Water for agriculture)
  • Purification & reclamation: countless innovative breakthroughs
  • Desalination: the most economical in the world
  • Water treatment:  recycle , drinking, watering
  • Water safety and security: applying years of experience in the field of security and defense to counter a new threat.
  • Water IT and communications



Water for agriculture
70% of the world’s water supply is channeled into agriculture. Solutions for optimizing the water
supply for agriculture are key to meeting the world’s water challenges. Israel is known for having “made the desert bloom” and Israel’s achievements in irrigation for agriculture are recognized the world over. Israel’s breakthrough solutions in irrigation come about partly due to the close cooperation between farmers and researchers, who share a constant flow of information and development.
This model has led to significant developments, including:
  • Drip Irrigation.
  • Subsurface Drip Irrigation and Fertigation resulting in lowered water use by growing plants.
  • Individual Spray Irrigation allowing for precise irrigation of trees.
  • Advanced Computerization of Irrigation Systems allowing for real-time operation, monitoring, and pre-programming of irrigation intervals.
  • Buried Moisture Sensors providing information on moisture levels of the soil.



The Drip Irrigation Success Story- Changing the way the world irrigates
Simcha Blass, an Israeli water engineer, discovered the essence of drip in 1959. His study showed  that a slow and balanced drip effect led to remarkable plant growth, and created a drip based tube to capitalize on the concept.
Today, drip irrigation is recognized as being perhaps the most valuable innovation in agricultural history. “Drip irrigation regularly exceeds 90% water efficiency. All told, the technology represents a 30% to 50% savings on water used for irrigation.” New York Times, 2009.
In addition to maximizing water efficiency, drip irrigation also successfully:
  • Limits evaporation.
  • Reduces the requirement for fertilizers and chemicals.
  • Enables effective control of plant disease.
  • Eases the transferal of pesticides and other
  • materials to prevent plant/crop infestation.
  • Prevents salination of soil.
  • Reduces weed growth.


Water management
For decades the Israeli government and various local organizations, ranging from start-ups to long established firms, have worked in conjunction to effectively handle and maximize Israel’s limited water resources.

This holistic approach has resulted in considerable innovation and advancement in the field of water management, including:
Israeli Water Expertise Efficient National Water Administration Solutions
Israel’s national water company has developed cutting-edge technologies to maximize the utilization of Israel’s water resources, automate its treatment and efficiently deliver it to domestic, industrial and agricultural users. Additionally, the company will helm a planned rerouting of Israel’s main water arteries, shifting water from the west of the country to the east and allowing for substantially improved water management.
Multi-Level Resource Management
Another Israeli company, which originated as a governmental subsidiary and has since privatized
to considerable success, specializes in a variety of water resource projects on a national, regional and local level. Its vast experience in the water industry has afforded it a significant edge in formulating and implementing effective management solutions.
Municipal Non-Revenue Water Management
An Israeli start-up has developed water efficiency solutions for municipal water distribution systems, providing non-revenue water management. Such management solutions enable governing bodies and institutions to produce/purchase less water, save energy due to improved efficiency, postpone investments in increasing water capacity and extend the lifespan of existing infrastructures.
Unmeasured Flow Reducer Technology
This uniquely-designed valve, developed by a firm focused on the ongoing effort for water management savings, is geared to improve the ability to measure water usage worldwide.


Wastewater & Water Treatment
In order to bring about the oasis for the next generation, humankind will need to not only preserve the water it has, but, in essence, “create” more. This can be done through the rapidly advancing technologies of purification and reclamation, two of Israel’s long-standing specialties in the water arena. Breakthrough wastewater solutions developed by Israeli companies include:

Suction Scanning Technology
This fast, efficient, self-cleaning technology ensures a continuous flow of filtered water, and is appropriate for all filtering applications.
Laser-based Analysis
This time and energy saving process uses on-line, laser-based particle size analyzers to detect solids in water ranging from lime deposits to sub-micron objects such as viruses.
Microbial Fuel Cell Technology
An Israeli firm has developed a novel technology that allows for the production of electricity directly from the treatment of different types of wastewater.
Attached Growth Airlift Reactor Technology
This biological treatment method integrates fixed film and suspended growth technologies to produce superior effective surface area for biomass growth and optimal oxygen transfer efficiency.
Sewage Recycling System
This integrated solution combines reduced sludge formation for municipal waste water treatment and the recycling of waste water bio-solids to extract bio-solids from raw sewage.
Fine Bubble Aeration System
This unique system creates efficient wastewater treatment by using floating diffusers, avoiding the drawbacks of mechanical surface aerators.


Desalination
Water desalination is another key to sustainability, converting salt water so that it may be suitable for irrigation and pioneering cost-effective ways of providing fresh water for regions where its
availability is limited. Israel has considerable experience in this field and local companies have developed a range of innovative technologies and solutions geared to maximizing desalination efficiency.
Breakthrough desalination solutions developed by the Israeli government and commercial sector include:
The World’s RO Largest Desalination Plant
Opened in December 2009, Israel’s Hadera seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant is the largest of its kind in the world (the runner up is also in Israel – the Ashkelon plant, active since 2005).
Flow Reversal Technology
This technology improves the desalination processes of brackish groundwater, increasing the recovery rate, reducing brine volumes for disposal dramatically and minimizing anti-scalants consumption.
Closed Circuit Desalination Technology
A replacement to the current reverse osmosis desalination process, this technology dramatically
reduces desalination production costs while maintaining superior product quality.
China’s Largest Desalination Facility
A global Israeli company is providing China with a $119 million desalination facility which will provide the country with 100,000 m3 of potable water a day.



Water Safety & Security
The world’s growing security challenges, including the higher risk of technical failure due to system complexity, the increasing intensity of natural disasters, and the emergence of ever more sophisticated terrorist threats, dictate that the “Next Generation Oasis” will need to be a safe haven; one we will
need to constantly watch and protect.
Israel is uniquely suited to this task; its extensive operational defense experience and advanced academic research lead the world in water security, risk management and disaster solution technology. Examples of Israeli academic and commercial involvement in this field include:
Developing a New Model of Urban Water Security
Hebrew University, which was part of the Sixth EU R&D Framework’s 22 million Euro Consortium for urban water security, is researching models for safety and security in urban sewage systems.
Neutralizing Biological & Chemical Water Threats
The Technion’s Grand Water Research Institute is conducting interdisciplinary research, funded by NATO, into the placement of monitoring stations that can identify and neutralize chemical and biological contaminants, such as anthrax.
Biosensor Bacteria Protection Technology
This pioneering system makes use of bioluminescence-based technology to ensure water safety and prevent contamination. The unique early warning process utilizes non-pathogenic marine bacteria as biosensors that can rapidly indicate changes in water quality.
Comprehensive Water Security Management System
An Israeli firm has developed an end-to-end water security management system designed to give water security operators an unprecedented level of decision-making confidence in the event of a crisis.


Water, IT & Communications
One of the most quickly advancing and exciting fields in water research approaches water challenges through the lens of information technology. Making use of modern communications and monitoring processes in conjunction with advanced computer programs, this field brings together two of Israel’s greatest strengths - water technology and hi-tech communications.

Israeli companies are developing and implementing IT solutions in the water arena to enable conservation on a major scale and improve water efficiency across a number of industries. The creative use of advanced IT in water systems enables utilities to better monitor and control water resources using less manpower and improving scalability, thus making these cutting-edge solutions extremely efficient and cost-effective.
Examples of Israeli products and technologies in this developing field include:
Water Distribution Monitoring Software
An Israeli start-up has provided a software-as-a service solution for monitoring water distribution networks. The system gives unprecedented control over network events in real time, using state-o f the- art statistical and mathematical algorithms to dramatically impact water savings and help cities prevent water loss.
Innovative Smart Metering Technology
This progressive technology acts as a comprehensive remote meter reading solution for walk-by, drive-by, and fix base systems. It requires no physical access or visual inspection of meters and is so responsive that users can be alerted to problems such as water loss the moment they occur.
Comprehensive Instrumentation and Data Management System
Another start-up has developed an innovative and comprehensive water communication and data management system. The technology allows for remote monitoring and the immediate addition and use of measurement instrumentation, reducing water costs and water wastage while improving efficiency and ROI.
State-of-the-Art SCADA Solutions
An Israeli subsidiary to an international communications conglomerate has developed advanced SCADA and water control solutions, based on state-of-the-art communication and IT technologies.


Israeli Water- Tech
Israeli Water- Tech is based  on the belief that the Israeli water and renewable energy sectors have the talent and capability to be strong  growth industries for the country, and to play an major  part in establishing the “Next Generation Oasis” for the world’s rising needs.
This is a national program  led by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor, , and is supported by a number of additional government agencies.
Israel Water-Tech helps to advance the water renewable energy sectors by supporting academia and research, encouraging implementation in the local market, and by helping Israeli companies succeed in the international arena.
A look at some of the Successful Israeli Companies in the Sector
  • Drip irrigation was developed by Netafim in Israel and is today the leading irrigation technology worldwide.
  • Lesico CleanTech created the already commercially active WAIV (Wing Aided Intensified Evaporation), a wind assisted brine evaporation process. They recently signed a 4-year contract with ORICA Water Care.
  • Israeli efficient wastewater treatment innovator Emefcy was one of 10 companies selected to be “2012 New Energy Pioneers” at the fifth annual Bloomberg New Energy Finance Summit in New York. Emefcy’s solution uses electrogenic bacteria to produce electricity directly from wastewater at the same time as treating it.
  • EZPACK, created a unique way to transfer clean, drinkable water to disaster areas and other emergency zones making use of innovative pillow bladder tanks with a PVC outer layer and “food graded” material inside.
  • TaKaDu provides a Software-as-a-Service solution for monitoring water distribution networks, giving the utility real-time control over network events, using state-of-the-art statistical and mathematical algorithms.